The Bayou
Tuesday,
September 22, 2009

Juggling the facts: "Doc" Thomas needs magic more than ever

We're gonna talk about balls today -- both real and imagined.

In his latest "Nuggets of Wisdom" (Hehehe!) column, BISD's "Doc" Thomas gives us a glimpse inside his "magical" universe. Thomas sees himself as a magician, fighting against distraction. In a previous column, Thomas envisioned himself royalty (sort of). Maybe next time, he'll imagine he's a unicorn. We can't wait! Anyway, back to the current essay. Carrol posits:

"An administrator recently asked me how I manage to keep all the balls in the air while attacks are occurring all about me."

Oh, THOSE balls. So how do you do it, Carrol?

"Visualize a magician tossing three balls in the air at a solid tempo."

Alright, we're with you. Visualizing. Balls. In the air. Getting dizzy. Are those clown shoes you're wearing? OK, what's next?

"Imagine four or five more balls being tossed into the flow of the balls...While the magician may have a strong position with feet planted or rooted on solid ground, his or her position can be undermined. I can clearly see the nine balls circulating in the air and momentarily touching one hand or the other for a momentum boost. Sometimes the balls are in danger of tumbling to the ground if a donkey is kicking the magician’s feet, a bully is swinging a bat at the back of his knees or a snake is biting at her ankles."

W-A-I-T a second, are we the donkey or the snake? Guess it doesn't matter. What does matter is: do you have a point?

"Having a good team about is one of the best ways to keep on task, even in the face of tough challenges. I’m grateful for the great team of colleagues who help me to keep each and every ball in the air."

Oh, you mean you have a great support staff. Got it. You must be referring to people like the ex-communications director who testified yesterday during the first day of the South Park trial that you told her you had NO PLANS to demolish South Park Middle School? You -- and board president Reece -- threw her under the bus yesterday. Reece went so far as to say, "I don't believe her." Is that how you and the board treat "valued" staff? If so, no wonder you're in a world of hurt right now.

He finishes his random thoughts column with this:

"I am not a magician, but hopefully a leader who has the good sense to recognize that team support is essential to every success."

You're right, Carrol. You're not a magician. A performer, maybe. A leader? Hmm. A leader communicates with his support staff, offering them accurate and dependable information. If adversity arises, he gets their back. He gives THEM support. Seems all of those balls in the air have got you confused.

In order to win this South Park lawsuit, you're gonna need to pull the world's largest rabbit out of your hat. Sadly, we suspect you -- and the board -- might just be out of tricks.

UPDATE: Bayou reader, Amy, points out this week's "nuggets" column might be even better. The theme: consistency. Here's a choice excerpt: "When paying employees and contractors or handling purchases, consistency keeps us on track and minimizes challenges and problems." Like with Sallie Curtis? Oh, these columns are a regional treasure!

Posted by GATOR at 10:12 AM


13 Gator-baiters:

FF said...
Gator has such a way with the words when reducing this problem to the basics. It’s all about balls.
Carroll Thomas should have been blackballed years ago...but wait...doesn’t he already have two oversized (black) balls that are causing BISD serious problems?
When you take a look-see at the constituency of pickaninies that is responsible for electing these morons to the school board, it becomes apparent that (black) balls are the root cause of BISD’s travails.
Why do they invariably confuse the size of their balls with the size of their brains? These clowns think their brains are between their legs. Hard thinking gives them an erection.
Viva Viagra!
September 22, 2009 11:33 AM BISD Sucks said...
I think it has been said that Hitler also had a great team around him. Anyone care to draw comparisons?
September 22, 2009 12:41 PM

Wrinkled Shirts said...
Oh Gator, how I love to read your posts! This Sallie Curtis mom is intrigued by this entire process. As I sat in the court room yesterday I was amazed that the man representing our school board as President could not even make complete sentences. I was also amazed that he testified, "We as a board ALWAYS follow Dr. Thomas' recommendations." Then when asked, "Did you explore the possibilities of finding a new site to build South Park?" Reece responds, "Well, we drove around town." Seriously, they drove around town. Same thing they did with the YMCA proposal for Sallie Curtis. They drove out there to look at the land but never once did they ask a question or explore the possibility of actually doing something with it. The juggling act continues!
September 22, 2009 1:12 PM

Anonymous said...
I don't think we need to reduce our differences with Dr Carroll to yet another comment that will be called racist. The man needs to go - doesn't matter if he is black or white or hispanic or any other color. He just needs to go. There are black and white board members and they are the only one's who can fire him. So while I think he's a terrible Superintendent - the final "buck stops here" resides with those Trustees.
September 22, 2009 1:16 PM

Anonymous said...
I hope in the next election that NEW citizen's will stand up and run for election to the school board. Then the voters have to stand up and VOTE them IN! Right now, are you contacting your trustee's and telling them how you feel? Call them? Write them? E-mail them? On a regular basis? They aren't going to read the comments here and even if they do, they aren't "real" to them. Blast them with contacts every day - that will get the message out.
September 22, 2009 1:18 PM

Anonymous said...
I dislike Thomas as much as the next person, but it's pointless to say the school board needs to cut his pay or fire him. The blame lies with the members who were on the school board when he was hired. The terms of his contract basically stipulate that he cannot be fired unless he fails his annual review, which [surprise] is stipulated to be self performed.
September 22, 2009 2:58 PM

A concerned individual said...
Excuse me, but didn't the Beaumont ISD taxpayers put those board members where they are today and as a result Thomas also? There are those in Beaumont that complain about the schools and what is going on but have done absolutely nothing about it in the past. All the people who are in opposition do is talk about the situation. Isn't it time that those taxpayers accept the blame for helping to create a "runaway train"? The taxpayers with the $$$ and the power simply send their children to private schools and really don't care about what is going on. It will take taxpayers coming together as a unit to get rid of the present regime. The problem is much deeper than the South Park building. WAKE UP ALL YOU PEOPLE AND GET IT DONE AND QUIT COMPLAING AND WHINING ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH THOMAS AND HIS CRONIES.
September 22, 2009 6:27 PM

FORMER BISD EMPLOYEE said...
Funny that Gator would use the phrase "threw her under the bus" because I was just using the same words earlier today when I was speaking to my former BISD co-workers. I've known Jolene Ortego since 1984 and have NEVER, not once, found her to be anything but HONEST and TRUSTWORTHY. Jolene would never have allowed anyone to print that South Park would NOT be torn down unless she got the approval of Dr. Thomas. That's the beauty of Dr. Thomas being such a micro-managing control freak. He insists that HE and ONLY HE can make such decisions. Trust me, if Jolene Ortego said Dr. Thomas told her to say that South Park would NOT be torn down, you can believe HER.
September 22, 2009 9:10 PM

Buddy said...
I wonder if the family of the late Reed Jones Jr. was able to sell him, like the generator or the four wheeler advertised before and after him in the BISD for sale page.
September 22, 2009 9:22 PM

Former Curtis Mom said...
Sallie Curtis mom, you may have been at the meeting but you obviously were not paying attention. No one is talking about building a new South Park, just saving the historic old building that still stands. You see there are a lot of us in town who don't believe in razing everything in our path. Also, there is simply no reason Curtis students and faculty cannot wait to use the temporary campus already established on Major Dr.once it is vacated. Is the current school falling down around your kids? Answer, No. Take a deep breath, dear.
September 23, 2009 5:50 AM

Anonymous said...
Wrinkled Shirts: Do you know how much it would cost to build a campus of portable buildings? 1.5 million dollars. Why are S.Curtis parents so up in arms over this? Regina is basically the same distance as Sallie Curtis from anywhere in Bmt. SC and RH are just on opposite sides of Gladys. Why do the SC parents want to spend 1.5 million taxpayer dollars just so that they don't have to drive further?
September 23, 2009 8:49 AM

shnizzle my zizzle said...
Anonymous: Think back to 1994 when BISD passed a similar bond issue. Amelia was promised a new campus. BISD kept postponing and postponing Amelia and guess what happened? BISD ran out of money and Amelia was never built. SC parents are not upset about the distance. They are upset because Carroll Thomas and Terry Ingram told them point blank that BISD would do whatever the parents wanted...it was their decision to make. THAT WAS A LIE!! As usual, BISD couldn't care less what the parents want. BISD did what it wanted. They bumped SC back almost 3 years. Let's all hold our breath and pray that history does not repeat itself and BISD runs out of money. Then what are you going to say?
September 24, 2009 1:36 PM

Anonymous said...
You are so off base if you think Terry Ingram actually has a say in what is done. It is solely Dr. Thomas and the school board. Why do some groups gripe about money spent while others want millions spent on a new portable building site? I don't understand the thinking or lack of thinking in this town.